Wildest Dreams
by xellie23x
Summary: She promised herself that she wouldn't become attached; there was a time limit on them. But then Lucas came along.
1. Wildest Dreams

**Wildest Dreams**

 **Title from Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams and I recommend listening to it while reading.**

* * *

It was inevitable.

She promised herself that she wouldn't become attached; there was a time limit on them and she couldn't even pretend that she hadn't known it all along.

He was just passing through and so was she. Quite frankly, now knowing how hectic their lives were, it was an incredible coincidence that they'd both been in the same place at the same time for the whole month anyway.

It was funny, she thought, that nowadays she calls it a coincidence when just a few years ago it would have been fate. God, how things had changed.

Why was it that this was the first guy (the first one since that high school relationship that was far too serious for high school) that she could have real feelings for? At least she thought she could, she'd never let herself go there completely. And this was there last night together. Ever.

They hadn't discussed what would happen next and she had no idea what he would say or hell if he would even say anything, he knew that today was the end from day one, that was the deal. One month of amazing conversation and sex. No strings attached. She supposed it was a dream come true for most twenty-four year old women who craved adventure, what could be better than a passionate love affair with a handsome stranger?

The truth was that despite the fact that it was far from her dream come true, she didn't even care anymore, she'd conditioned herself to believing that fairy tales didn't exist after year upon year of heartbreak. She'd been hurt too many times to believe in happily ever after so she'd resigned to the fact that the best she could hope for would be nice memories, no bitter breakups or hate just simple indifference, occasionally nostalgia for something that was never quite something.

It was probably easier for her than it should be for any human, to be so detached that is, she always knew when a relationship had to end; work had her travelling all over the country and sometimes further afield. It made it easier. Both parties knew that the end was coming so there were no nasty surprises.

But then Lucas came along.

It wasn't really any different to how her relationships usually start, there'd been a bar, casual flirting and some dancing followed by sex at his hotel room. However as soon as that was over, everything was different.

* * *

" _God," he laughed. "That was…"_

" _Amazing?" she questioned with her eyebrows raised at him. She was propped up on her elbow watching him on the other side of the bed, now that the alcohol was wearing off she was beginning to realise that maybe she'd made a mistake. As she looked into those deep blue eyes she saw nothing but honesty and truth; he was the exact type of guy that she could fall for._

" _Amazing doesn't even come close," he laughed again and she felt something in her stomach that she immediately squashed because there was no way she would let herself become attached to him, not when he had this power over her after only having met him six hours previously._

 _But her thoughts were put on hold when he leaned over to kiss her again, she felt herself melt into his arms and suddenly she was questioning whether it even mattered. Would the heartache and pain be worth it? If he could make her feel like this, did it really matter if she had some suffering at the end of the month?_

 _She wouldn't think about it now, not when his lips were travelling down her body and his hands were sliding up and down her legs in a way that made her feel things she'd never felt before._

* * *

She didn't realise how long she'd been sat up in bed pondering the inevitable until she felt him stir beside her. His blue eyes snapped open and she had to take a breath, it seemed that the looming expiration date on their time together was making her reckless with her thoughts.

She looked away from him, knowing that if she looked at him for any longer than she was now then she'd do something naïve like ask him to follow her wherever she went. She wouldn't do that to them, they were too special for her to allow them to end in a tragedy that would plague her no matter how hard they tried.

"Peyton."

His voice was so soft that she thought that maybe he didn't want her to hear him, maybe he wanted to avoid today as much as she did and maybe her plan of no heartbreak had failed more miserably than she thought possible.

She turned her head anyway, it was too late anyway.

"Please don't say anything," she begged as she choked back the tears in her eyes.

He sat across from her and put his hands on either side of her face, his eyes never leaving hers as his hands slowly travel to hers and he holds them with so much trepidation that she's terrified about what's going to happen next.

"This doesn't have to be the end."

She let herself ponder over that for a minute, what would happen if she agreed? They'd probably have a long distance relationship for a while, seeing each other in fleeting moments and long conversations on the phone until the pressure of seeing each other so sporadically became too much. Words would be said that couldn't be taken back and she'd be left with nothing but a feeling of failure and loss. Or maybe they'd just drift apart and realise that without the convenience of sex so often, their relationship would fizzle out until they felt trapped and then she'd be left with the realisation that she'd given everything to someone who deserved nothing.

"It does."

She hoped that he realised just how much it killed her to tell him this, it was quite possibly the biggest and most terrifying decision that she'd ever had to make and that was including that time when she was seventeen and her boyfriend with a baby was proposing to her.

He just gulped and nodded, she thought he might even cry, God knows she was about to so she did the only thing she could think of and kissed him with more passion than she ever thought could exist inside her. She knew that this was it; their last kiss and it would be one to remember that was for sure.

* * *

 _He was driving her car, something that usually she wouldn't let someone that she'd only known for three weeks do but since she was blindfolded she didn't really have a choice._

" _Please?" she pleaded in her sweetest possible voice while squeezing his hand that was held in hers between them._

 _She could practically hear him grinning at her impatience._

" _We're here."_

" _And where is here?" she asked curiously, it wasn't as though there were any noises to help her out. If she didn't trust him so damn much she would assume he'd taken her to a remote forest to murder her._

" _Two more minutes," he promised._

 _She heard him get out of the car and a few seconds later the passenger door was opening and he was holding her hand and helping her out of the car, she wanted to take the blindfold off but she wanted to play the game more. The excitement on his face when he'd arrived at her hotel earlier had been more than enough to convince her to wear the blindfold in the first place and she wasn't about to stop it yet._

 _He stopped suddenly and told her to remove her shoes, which she did as she realised that they were at a beach when a cool breeze gently blew her hair back._

 _His hand was then pulling her forward until he released it and then the blindfold was removed and she took in the sight before her._

" _Happy Birthday," he whispered before kissing her cheek gently._

 _He then set the picnic basket down on the rug that would protect them from the sand and lit the candles that surrounded them, it wasn't dark yet but one of the many things she'd learned about him over the past three weeks was that he liked to be prepared._

 _She realised that she hadn't said anything when he looked at her expectedly with his hand outstretched._

 _She took his hand and sat next to him keeping her thoughts away from the part of her brain that was making her realise that nobody had ever done something this thoughtful for her, ever. Then there was Lucas, a guy she'd known for just three weeks and he was giving her the most extraordinary birthday that she'd ever had._

 _Later, after the food had been eaten and the sun was setting over the ocean she stood at the water's edge with his arms wrapped around her._

" _Can you promise me something?" she whispered, not wanting to break the magic of the moment._

" _Anything."_

" _In ten years, when you're married and have three kids, a dog and the perfect house with the white picket fence…" she didn't realise how hard it was to say until she actually did and from the way he held her that little bit tighter when she said it she thought that maybe it was just as hard for him to hear. "Promise me that when you remember me and us, promise that you'll remember this moment."_

" _I promise."_

" _And promise that you won't forget," she pressed. "Promise that you'll think of me sometimes, even if it's just in your wildest dreams."_

" _I promise."_

* * *

When he'd made the promise he'd meant it and God he couldn't imagine a moment when he wouldn't remember her. She'd become commonly known by his friends and family as 'the one who'd got away'. He doesn't want to regret it because that's not what she wants but he regrets not fighting for her harder, hell he regrets not fighting for her with everything he had in him. He regrets agreeing to a one-month-only-no-strings-attached relationship with someone that he could have married one day - any day. He tries not to think of that though, he knows she wouldn't want him to.

He does one thing that she would like though and it's the one thing he has no control over; he dreams of her. It's often and it isn't slowing down even though it's been close to a year since he last saw her. He dreams of her on that beach the most, it was perfect, the way she looked in that white cotton summer dress haunted him to this day. So do the other memories of course, but that one, that one of her watching the sunset with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face as the intensity of their time together caught up to her, that was the moment that followed him him the most.

And then he'd remember the nights they'd spent together and how every last one of them made him fall just that little bit more in love with her. They'd had more than their fair share of happiness during that month and after just a few nights away from her he realised that they had the kind of love that you only find once in a lifetime, despite the fact that she never admitted it to him or even to herself he knew full well that what she felt for him was love. He remembered a night when they hadn't had sex but just held each other until they both fell asleep with their minds filled with nothing but blissful silence, it meant more to him than he thought he could ever articulate.

He missed her every single day but this was what she wanted, or what she'd convinced herself she'd wanted anyway.

Sometimes he wondered whether she regretted the way things ended. Sometimes he wondered whether she regretted him.

He hoped not because despite everything he still wishes that she dreams of him, just like he dreams of her.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it, I may add another chapter to it depending on whether people like this one or want more.**


	2. Out Of The Woods

**Out of the Woods**

 **I decided that the story needed more so I added this chapter which is named after Taylor Swift's Out of the Woods.**

* * *

It's funny how life can surprise you sometimes.

It had been over a year since she'd last seen him, since that whirlwind romance that had torn her apart and here they were sipping coffee across from each other. The problem was that even after a year of him plaguing her dreams, seeing him again wasn't part of the plan.

This was it, her second chance for something real.

The past year had been a flip-flop between regretting letting him go and relief that they had ended before she could have fallen for him completely. If the heartbreak she'd gone through over the past year was anything to go by then a break up between the two of them would break her more than she'd ever been broken before. And despite fleeting moments of recklessness when she'd allow herself to entertain the possibility that maybe they wouldn't have broken up and maybe he could have been The One, she knew that it wasn't worth risking it. Or she thought she knew that until she'd seen him by chance yesterday.

They'd done the small talk, most of it anyway, the only question left burning on her lips was one that she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to. It turned out that he wanted to know her answer to the question also.

"So are you…" he gulped. "Are you seeing anyone?"

She gave him a shy smile before nodding slightly.

"Yeah," she whispered, hating herself for getting involved with some musician that she'd never see again after the week was over, not that she really cared about Jared the bass player anyway. "It's not serious though."

Her attempt to reassure him seemed to do nothing to get rid of the disappointment masking his face.

"What about you?" she asked, despite the fact that she thought she already knew what his response would be now.

"No," he shook his head with a small smile.

She wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't dated anyone since her from the look on his face. How was it that after a year he was still making her feel guilty without even trying? He knew when they started whatever it was that they started that it would end, that was the deal.

She watched a couple at a table near them, soft smiles on their faces as they looked lovingly into each other's eyes. How could it be so simple for that couple but when it came to them, to Lucas and Peyton everything was so complicated? Maybe it was simple and it was just them making it complicated.

"I want to take you out for dinner tonight," he stated and she wasn't sure whether it was an invitation or him just allowing his thoughts to be spoken.

"I have plans," she said with disappointment etched in her voice.

"Cancel them," he told her with a shrug as though maybe it could be simple after all.

* * *

When she'd told Jared that she wouldn't be joining him for drinks that evening she hadn't hesitated in informing him that he wouldn't see her again, he didn't seem upset about it and for that she was thankful. She wasn't entirely sure why she'd done it. It just felt like the right thing to do and she didn't have another explanation.

She spent time getting ready, more than she ever had for him before but this was different. This was unexpected yet anticipated and terrifying.

God was it terrifying.

Because she'd spent the past year thinking of him and that month that they'd spent together, she couldn't stand it if it turned out that she was wrong about what they'd had and what they could have had.

Now there was the possibility that once again he would whisper those words to her.

' _This doesn't have to be the end.'_

And maybe this time she would have a different answer because surely after the heartbreak that they'd both gone through the past year, surely now they should have the chance to make things right.

Maybe it was meant to happen this way. It could be fate right? What were the chances that they would both be here after they'd spent the past year thinking about each other and wishing for a second chance?

When she answered the door with some slight hesitation (it turns out letting her fears go wasn't as simple as people had tried to convince her) Lucas was standing there with a small, apprehensive smile on his face.

She caught him glancing at the necklace she wore – his necklace, technically.

"You're wearing it."

The smile on his face widened which only made her own grow; _he remembered._

"I love this necklace."

As ridiculous as it sounded given the fact they hadn't seen each other in a year she thought that she might just love the man who gave it to her as well. Nevertheless, somehow she got the feeling that he felt the exact same way.

* * *

They'd enjoyed a dinner filled with the type of flirty conversations that she'd tried (and failed) to forget that they'd had a year ago. Though anything meaningful was avoided, she didn't think she could bear it if that connection that she remembered so clearly from a year ago had faded; she got the feeling that maybe he was afraid too.

But then they were walking down the street with her wrapped up in his jacket and she thought maybe she didn't need to be afraid because despite the fact that it had been a year since they had seen each other her heart was beating faster than she had ever known it to.

Suddenly he was pulling her into a building with a small smile gracing his face.

"Luke?" she laughed softly. "Where are you taking me?"

He turned and whispered softly.

"You trust me right?"

It didn't seem like a question, really. At least it shouldn't be because _of course_ she trusted him.

In reply she squeezed his hand with adoration in her eyes, usually she would feel almost embarrassed at that but it didn't feel nearly as bad when he was looking back at her with the same sentiment.

The destination ended up being a rooftop. If she'd forgotten just how much of a romantic Lucas was this would have been a wonderful reminder but how could she have forgotten?

"You remember that day on the beach?" he asked her, suddenly breaking the silent spell that they were under. She slowly smiled in response and he knew immediately that she did, that was his expression when he remembered that night as well.

"The sunset that night – it looked just like this."

Silence set over them once again and she felt like she might cry, she didn't know why.

"That night," he swallowed. "I was so close to asking you to marry me."

She closed her eyes at his confession and let the tears fall guiltily.

"But I knew that I wouldn't get the answer that I wanted, you were so adamant that it would only last a month and so was I at first," he admitted. "I think that lasted about six hours, then I fell in love with you."

"Luke," she whispered, almost begging him to stop because she couldn't hear this.

"No," he continued despite her protests. "I have to say this because I never thought I'd get the chance."

She nodded reluctantly, giving him her blessing to continue. She owed him that much at least.

"I fell in love with you and maybe that was my fault then because we both knew what we were getting into but I never wanted to let you go. I remember thinking how crazy it was that I'd only known you for three weeks but in that moment all I could think about was asking you to be with me forever."

She placed her hand on his and squeezed it softly.

"The thing is that back then I knew what I was getting into but now I don't, I have no idea what this is or what you want it to be." He hesitated. "I know what I want; I want everything I wanted a year ago and I'm telling you this now because I can't go on the rest of my life wondering what if like I have for the past year."

She felt the tears running heavily down her face.

"I don't… I don't know what to say."

She wanted to tell him that she loved him too and she wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with him because that was the truth. However she knew that if this relationship failed, if for some reason they didn't work out, she didn't think she'd ever recover.

"Hey," he caressed her cheek softly. "Just tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking that our work sends us all over the country, we barely know each other and we haven't seen each other in a year."

She saw the disappointment on his face and suddenly a burst of courage overcame her, if she was being honest she was going to be honest all the way.

"I'm also thinking that I love you," she admitted. "I'm in love with you and I have been for a long time, before I was even ready to admit it to myself."

He stepped forward and kissed her, this was the first one in a year and she didn't think there'd ever been a kiss that passionate, that intense before.

"I want to be with you Peyton," he whispered against her lips.

She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes.

"If we do this it's going to be complicated and there are a million reasons why this won't work."

"I don't care about any of that," he insisted. "I care about you and me and what we have is too important to let go."

"I really want us to make it Lucas," she confessed.

"We will," he promised.

She smiled and cried and laughed.

She was terrified, so freaking terrified but maybe now they stood a chance at having the happily ever after she'd given up on so long ago. In spite of the fact that she'd never felt this apprehensive or scared or nervous in her entire life, she'd also never felt more hopeful and loved and in love and that was what she was holding onto and she would hold onto it forever.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it, at least it had a happy ending.**

 **By the way if anyone is reading my story You Let Her Go, I hope I will be able to update soon because the chapter is being written – I think I'm about a third of the way through.**


End file.
